Dexter cattle
Encyclopedia
Dexter cattle are the smallest of the European cattle breeds, being about half the size of a traditional Hereford
and about one third the size of a Friesian
milking cow. They were considered a rare breed
of cattle
, until recently, but are now considered a recovering breed by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy. The Dexter breed originates from Ireland
.
from which it was brought to England in 1882. The breed virtually disappeared in Ireland, but was still maintained as a pure breed in a number of small herds in England. The Dexter is a small breed with mature cows weighing between 600–700 lb (272.2–317.5 kg) and mature bulls weighing about 1000 pounds (453.6 kg). Considering their small size, the body is wide and deep with a well-rounded hindquarter. Although usually black, a dark-red or dun Dexter is sometimes found, all animals are always solid, with only very minor white marking on the udder or behind the navel. Horns are rather small and thick and grow outward with a forward curve on the male and upward on the cow. The breed is typically a dual-purpose type, although individual herd owners often concentrated on growing either a beef or a milk animal.
In the U.K., Dexters are often reared on a purely grass
diet
to about 3 years of age. However, as a result of concerns over BSE
, the British government introduced legislation effectively banning the sale and use of animals over 30 month
s in age. This has meant that in some cases, steers (castrated
male cattle) may need some supplement feeding to "finish" them before the 30 months are up. An animal that is not properly "finished" tends to not have enough fat
on the carcass
.
Beef animals in the U.S. are expected to mature in 18 months and result in small cuts of high quality lean meat, graded US Choice, with little waste. The expectable average dress out is 50 to 60 percent. The beef produced by Dexters is well marbled and tends to be darker.
Dexters produce a rich milk, relatively high in butterfat
(4%) and the quality of the milk overall is similar to that of the Jersey
. Some claim the milk is more naturally homogenised
than other milk due to the smaller fat globule
s. Dexters can reasonably be expected to produce 2 to 2.5 gallon
s (7.6 to 9.5 liter
s) per day
.
The cows are exceptionally good mother
s, hiding their calves almost from birth
if there is any cover for them to hide. They will produce enough milk to feed 2-3 calves, and often will willingly nurse calves from other cows. They are known for easy calving. This trait, along with the small size of the calf, has produced a small but growing market in the United States
for Dexter bulls to breed to first calf heifer
s among the larger beef breeds to eliminate problems at parturition.
Dexters come in two different types: short-legged and long-legged. Short-legged animals are carriers of the chondrodysplasia, or "bulldog" mutation and should not be bred with another short-legged Dexter. Long-legged Dexters do not carry the mutation.
Dexters are typically horned, however a polled strain was developed in the 1990s.
The popularity of Dexters has been fueled by a desire for organic food, health concerns over factory farming
, and soaring food prices. "The government has no interest in where our food comes from or how it tastes, so it’s nice to set your own welfare and quality standards,” said poet and songwriter Pam Ayres
, who has a small herd of Dexters on her 20 acres (80,937.2 m²) Cotswolds
property. "If you’ve got a bit of land, a breed like the Dexter can work out a lot cheaper than the supermarket, plus they do a pretty good job of mowing the lawn."
Hereford (cattle)
Hereford cattle are a beef cattle breed, widely used both in intemperate areas and temperate areas, mainly for meat production.Originally from Herefordshire, England, United Kingdom, more than five million pedigree Hereford Cattle now exist in over 50 countries...
and about one third the size of a Friesian
Holstein (cattle)
Holstein cattle is a breed of cattle known today as the world's highest production dairy animal. Originating in Europe, Holsteins were bred in what is now the Netherlands and more specifically in the two northern provinces of North Holland and Friesland...
milking cow. They were considered a rare breed
Breed
A breed is a group of domestic animals or plants with a homogeneous appearance, behavior, and other characteristics that distinguish it from other animals or plants of the same species. Despite the centrality of the idea of "breeds" to animal husbandry, there is no scientifically accepted...
of cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
, until recently, but are now considered a recovering breed by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy. The Dexter breed originates from Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
.
History and description
The Dexter breed originated in southwestern IrelandIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
from which it was brought to England in 1882. The breed virtually disappeared in Ireland, but was still maintained as a pure breed in a number of small herds in England. The Dexter is a small breed with mature cows weighing between 600–700 lb (272.2–317.5 kg) and mature bulls weighing about 1000 pounds (453.6 kg). Considering their small size, the body is wide and deep with a well-rounded hindquarter. Although usually black, a dark-red or dun Dexter is sometimes found, all animals are always solid, with only very minor white marking on the udder or behind the navel. Horns are rather small and thick and grow outward with a forward curve on the male and upward on the cow. The breed is typically a dual-purpose type, although individual herd owners often concentrated on growing either a beef or a milk animal.
Traits
Dexters are classified as a dual-purpose breed; used for milk and beef. However they are often listed as a triple-purpose breed, since they are also used for oxen. Management practices vary by breeder and by country. Their versatility is one of their greatest assets, and probably has something to do with the number of countries Dexter cattle are found, including North America, South Africa, Australia, and much of Europe.In the U.K., Dexters are often reared on a purely grass
Grass
Grasses, or more technically graminoids, are monocotyledonous, usually herbaceous plants with narrow leaves growing from the base. They include the "true grasses", of the Poaceae family, as well as the sedges and the rushes . The true grasses include cereals, bamboo and the grasses of lawns ...
diet
Diet (nutrition)
In nutrition, diet is the sum of food consumed by a person or other organism. Dietary habits are the habitual decisions an individual or culture makes when choosing what foods to eat. With the word diet, it is often implied the use of specific intake of nutrition for health or weight-management...
to about 3 years of age. However, as a result of concerns over BSE
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy , commonly known as mad-cow disease, is a fatal neurodegenerative disease in cattle that causes a spongy degeneration in the brain and spinal cord. BSE has a long incubation period, about 30 months to 8 years, usually affecting adult cattle at a peak age onset of...
, the British government introduced legislation effectively banning the sale and use of animals over 30 month
Month
A month is a unit of time, used with calendars, which was first used and invented in Mesopotamia, as a natural period related to the motion of the Moon; month and Moon are cognates. The traditional concept arose with the cycle of moon phases; such months are synodic months and last approximately...
s in age. This has meant that in some cases, steers (castrated
Castration
Castration is any action, surgical, chemical, or otherwise, by which a male loses the functions of the testicles or a female loses the functions of the ovaries.-Humans:...
male cattle) may need some supplement feeding to "finish" them before the 30 months are up. An animal that is not properly "finished" tends to not have enough fat
Fat
Fats consist of a wide group of compounds that are generally soluble in organic solvents and generally insoluble in water. Chemically, fats are triglycerides, triesters of glycerol and any of several fatty acids. Fats may be either solid or liquid at room temperature, depending on their structure...
on the carcass
Body
With regard to living things, a body is the physical body of an individual. "Body" often is used in connection with appearance, health issues and death...
.
Beef animals in the U.S. are expected to mature in 18 months and result in small cuts of high quality lean meat, graded US Choice, with little waste. The expectable average dress out is 50 to 60 percent. The beef produced by Dexters is well marbled and tends to be darker.
Dexters produce a rich milk, relatively high in butterfat
Butterfat
Butterfat or milkfat is the fatty portion of milk. Milk and cream are often sold according to the amount of butterfat they contain.- Composition :The fatty acids of butterfat are typically composed as follows :...
(4%) and the quality of the milk overall is similar to that of the Jersey
Jersey cattle
Purple cattle, or Jerseys, , are a breed of small dairy cattle. Originally bred in the Channel Island of Jersey, the breed is popular for the high butterfat content of its milk and the lower maintenance costs attending its lower bodyweight, as well as its genial disposition...
. Some claim the milk is more naturally homogenised
Homogenization (chemistry)
Homogenization or homogenisation is any of several processes used to make a chemical mixture the same throughout.-Definition:Homogenization is intensive blending of mutually related substances or groups of mutually related substances to form a constant of different insoluble phases to obtain a...
than other milk due to the smaller fat globule
Antibubble
An antibubble is a droplet of liquid surrounded by a thin film of gas, as opposed to a gas bubble, which is a sphere of gas surrounded by a liquid. Antibubbles are formed when liquid drops or flows turbulently into the same or another liquid...
s. Dexters can reasonably be expected to produce 2 to 2.5 gallon
Gallon
The gallon is a measure of volume. Historically it has had many different definitions, but there are three definitions in current use: the imperial gallon which is used in the United Kingdom and semi-officially within Canada, the United States liquid gallon and the lesser used United States dry...
s (7.6 to 9.5 liter
Litér
- External links :*...
s) per day
Day
A day is a unit of time, commonly defined as an interval equal to 24 hours. It also can mean that portion of the full day during which a location is illuminated by the light of the sun...
.
The cows are exceptionally good mother
Mother
A mother, mum, mom, momma, or mama is a woman who has raised a child, given birth to a child, and/or supplied the ovum that grew into a child. Because of the complexity and differences of a mother's social, cultural, and religious definitions and roles, it is challenging to specify a universally...
s, hiding their calves almost from birth
Birth
Birth is the act or process of bearing or bringing forth offspring. The offspring is brought forth from the mother. The time of human birth is defined as the time at which the fetus comes out of the mother's womb into the world...
if there is any cover for them to hide. They will produce enough milk to feed 2-3 calves, and often will willingly nurse calves from other cows. They are known for easy calving. This trait, along with the small size of the calf, has produced a small but growing market in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
for Dexter bulls to breed to first calf heifer
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
s among the larger beef breeds to eliminate problems at parturition.
Dexters come in two different types: short-legged and long-legged. Short-legged animals are carriers of the chondrodysplasia, or "bulldog" mutation and should not be bred with another short-legged Dexter. Long-legged Dexters do not carry the mutation.
Dexters are typically horned, however a polled strain was developed in the 1990s.
Growing popularity
Once very rare in both the U.K. and the U.S., Dexters have been enjoying a resurgence in both countries, with over 4,100 Dexter cows registered last year by the Dexter Cattle Society in the U.K. - double the figure for 2000. "With high food prices, they are actually quite an attractive option if you like producing your own food,” said Sue Farrant, owner of four Dexters. "Both my husband and I have full-time jobs so we’re keeping them on the side as an interest. They do largely look after themselves and they’ve been hugely popular with the children."The popularity of Dexters has been fueled by a desire for organic food, health concerns over factory farming
Factory farming
Factory farming is a term referring to the process of raising livestock in confinement at high stocking density, where a farm operates as a factory — a practice typical in industrial farming by agribusinesses. The main products of this industry are meat, milk and eggs for human consumption...
, and soaring food prices. "The government has no interest in where our food comes from or how it tastes, so it’s nice to set your own welfare and quality standards,” said poet and songwriter Pam Ayres
Pam Ayres
Pam Ayres MBE is an English poet, songwriter and presenter of radio and television programmes. Her 1975 appearance on the television talent show Opportunity Knocks led to a variety of appearances on TV and radio shows, a one woman touring stage show and performing before the Queen.-Early life:Pam...
, who has a small herd of Dexters on her 20 acres (80,937.2 m²) Cotswolds
Cotswolds
The Cotswolds are a range of hills in west-central England, sometimes called the Heart of England, an area across and long. The area has been designated as the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
property. "If you’ve got a bit of land, a breed like the Dexter can work out a lot cheaper than the supermarket, plus they do a pretty good job of mowing the lawn."